A surf beach that is best at low tide. During winter and spring the swells are big. Summer brings small waves of about head high, occasional bigger day. Winter and spring waves can be as high as a house on occasions. The rip currents are not that nasty although care must be taken of course when swell is big.
North Piha is 3km long, Lion Rock at the southern end and monkey rock at the northern end. A fairly hard black sandy beach that gets very very hot in summer (you have to run if barefoot). Plenty of launch space at low tide, but limited at high tide. Walk over grassy banks to get to beach. The surf is much more benign than Muriwai. Gets packed in summer with beach goers.
Water temp is pretty cold, 12°C in winter and 20°C in summer. Air temps here can soar above 30°C in summer and it's best not to kite here during this time as it will be packed.
Best time of year is spring with consistent westerly quarter winds. Due to mountains behind beach it's less windy here than other west coast spots (eg Muriwai) so is really suited to the 30+ knots that can occur during winter and spring. Summer here is hot with light winds at this spot. Autumn has the odd good day.
20 knots during winter and spring. Windier the further out you head. Spring is best season. Summer thermals are light compared to Huia, Fosters etc but still ok. Winter is a great time to kite here as well. Autumn has mostly light winds (15-20 knots in other AK spots) but here it'll be more like 10-15. It's a place for the days where it's too windy anywhere else in Auckland. Sideshore NNW and SSE.
Get the map out and head to Henderson, then head over the Waitaks, drive down the steep road, smell the burnin brakes, past the turnoff to South Piha and head to north where hopefully you'll see the misty spray caused by the surf/wind.
Patrolled beach during summer, less dangerous than other AK west coast spots. Very crowded in summer, best in winter, spring. Kite leash recommended as is helmet as it is a wave sailing spot.
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